AMNESTY FEARS PROMINENT LAWYER MIGHT BE TORTUREDGao Zhisheng, arguably China’s most prominent human rights lawyer and current prisoner of conscience, has not been heard from since his August 15 arrest. Gao has tackled a broad range of sensitive human rights issues, but the CCP shut down his legal practice and began harassing him after he wrote letters to Party leaders calling the widespread torture of Falun Gong practitioners a “barbaric atrocity.” Gao, who has publicly renounced his CCP membership, has been beaten and narrowily escaped assassination attempts before his arrest. Fearing Gao might now be tortured, Amnesty International issued an urgent action and other human rights groups are calling for international pressure.Amnesty Urgent Action: http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA170472006For the full story on Gao and his daring human rights efforts see International Affairs Journal:http://davisiaj.com/content/view/249/1/

CHINESE AIRLINE PILOT’S DEFECTION EXPOSES CCP FEARSA commercial airline pilot who recently fled persecution in China says that despite the Chinese Communist Party’s public denials, it is extremely nervous that a growing wave of resignations from the CCP is threatening its hold on power. The recent arrest of prominent human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who had also publicly quit the party, and the beating of a pro-Falun Gong legislator in Hong Kong have lead China watchers to similar conclusions. “The CCP is frightened of the Nine Commentaries and of Chinese people withdrawing from the CCP—the most sensitive and dangerous topic in China,” said Yuan Sheng, a pilot for China Eastern Airlines who is now seeking asylum in the United States. “The CCP has always carefully blocked news about the Nine Commentaries and withdrawing from the CCP.” Since the publication of the Nine Commentaries more than a year ago, more than 12 million people have publically renounced their CCP membership.Full story: http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/6-8-28/45383.html

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT CONDEMNS “DETENTION AND TORTURE” OF FALUN GONGThe Epoch Times (Sept. 9, 2006): The European Parliament adopted a resolution Friday expressing alarm over a range of Chinese economic, foreign policy, environmental, and human rights issues, including the forced removal of organs from imprisoned Falun Gong practitioners. The resolution was passed ahead of Saturday’s summit in Helsinki between the European Union’s executive body and China. Acknowledging that in E.U.-China affairs “trade and economic relations have overshadowed the question of democratic reforms, respect for human rights and the rule of law,” Parliament called upon the E.U.’s member states to formulate “a new common strategy on China.”Full Story: http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/6-9-9/45824.htmlFull text of resolution: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P6-TA-2006-0346+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN

MINISTER OF COMMERCE BO XILAI CHARGED WITH GENOCIDE IN HELSINKIA lawsuit charging Chinese Minster of Commerce Bo Xilai with genocide was filed in Helsinki on September 8. Bo was in Finland for the E.U.-China Summit. The lawsuit was the tenth filed against Bo—previous ones have been filed in the U.S., U.K., Poland, Russia, Chile, Peru, Spain and South Korea. Bo is the former governor of Liaoning, the province from which news of systematic killing of Falun Gong practitioners for their organs first emerged.For more information: Nicolas Schols + 32 (0) 479 875 734 Email: [email protected]

INTERNATIONAL LAWYERS CONCERNED OVER SINGPORE TRIALSThe Epoch Times (Aug. 8, 2006): Lawyers from ten countries have sent letters to the Singaporean government expressing concern over the ongoing trials against Falun Gong practitioners in the city-state. Singapore brought charges against 11 practitioners for “harassment by displaying insulting words” such as “stop persecution of Falun Gong in China” on banners outside the Chinese Embassy, as well as for distributing leaflets with similar content. Renowned human rights lawyers such as Anthony D’Amato have questioned the timing of the charges, which came right before top Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official Li Lanqing’s visit. The letters urge Singapore to dimiss the lawsuits and withdraw all charges.For the full story and text of the letters, see: http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/6-8-22/45198.html

UPCOMING EVENT: FORMER CANADIAN SECRETARY OF STATE TO PRESENT FINDINGS ON ORGAN HARVESTING IN CHINADavid Kilgour, former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia Pacific, will present findings from his investigation into the killing of Falun Gong practitioners for their organs in China on Thursday, September 14, from 4-5:30pm. The event will be held at Capitol Room HC-6 (House side) in Washington, DC.For more information, contact: David Kilgour 202-374-5523 or email [email protected]The full report is available at: http://investigation.go.saveinter.net